Hiding the Truth
by Purple Wolf Girl
Summary: COMPLETE! His feelings for Starfire are not the only ones that Robin hides behind his mask . . . he is haunted by a tragic past that refuses to release him. Robin x Starfire.
1. Dream Me Away

Hiding the Truth

By Purple Wolf Girl

Summary: His feelings for Starfire are not the only ones Robin hides behind his mask . . . he is haunted by a tragic past that refuses to release him.

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or Batman.

Chapter One: Dream Me Away

Robin lay on his bed with a stack of papers piled high on his stomach. They were just random documents that he had to sort out. One page caught his attention. It was a news article about Bruce Wayne. Robin stared at it for a moment and then tossed it aside.

"No need for that memory." Robin mumbled.

"Robin?"

Robin jumped off the bed as quickly as he could; not caring that all the papers were scattered across the floor. He eagerly opened the door to see a tall girl with flowing dark red hair, a giant smile was planted on her lips, and his favorite...her big, twinkling emerald eyes.

"Hey, Star. What's up?" he inquired.

"I have come to ask you if you would enjoy participating in a movie viewing with the others and I. I would be most pleased." she replied.

Robin looked back and forth between all the papers and Starfire. _ 'The paperwork can wait.'_ he thought.

"Okay. I'll take a break,"

Starfire clapped her hands. "Glorious!" she exclaimed as she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the living room.

Raven sat with her face buried in a book and Beast boy and Cyborg were talking their own secret language.

"Ecfoognarc katu salodm?" Beast boy said.

"Fahopij!" Cyborg laughed. "Wopli doqas! Baz."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "What _are_ you doing?"

Beast boy smiled. "Palalalalo!" he joked (i don't know).

"Whatever, idiots." Raven hissed under her breath.

"Hello, Raven, Cyborg and Beast boy...Robin has decided to join us for our movie!" Starfire proclaimed, with Robin being towed along behind her.

"At least some people still speak English." Raven said in her usual monotone voice.

"Yeah, surprising, isn't it?" Robin added.

"FOGNAR HEZFOR!" Starfire cried happily.

Robin and Raven stared at her strangely. Starfire frowned.

"It is Tameranian for 'Let us begin please'..." she explained matter-of-factly.

"Or not." Raven remarked.

"Dahkilo ajloc domo, Cy?" Beast boy asked.

"Gorvog." was his reply.

Beast boy stood up quickly. "Dudes and dudettes...be prepared to see-" he began in a low and dramatic tone. "Wicked Scary part five! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he cackled evilly.

"Just start the movie," Raven groaned.

Beast boy's face fell and his temple throbbed. He flicked on the movie with the remote and flopped down on the couch next to Raven.

"Your gonna be soooooo scared, Rae." he teased. "But you can always hold my hand if you get too freaked out."

Raven glared at him. "I hate you." she growled. "And what have I told you about calling me 'Rae'? Never again."

"You mean the opposite, don't 'cha?"

"I hate you." she repeated flatly.

"No you don't. You dig me. No lady can resist my charm!" he said as he waggled his eyebrows.

"Just watch the stupid movie."

Beast boy shrugged and turned to the TV screen.

An hour and a half later . . .

Starfire was squeezing Robin tightly as she watched the horror film, Cyborg had fallen asleep, and Beast boy hid behind Raven's cape.

_'End?_' came onto the screen as one last scream was heard from an actor.

"Woah," Beast boy said. "That was freaky, dude. It was even scarier than Wicked Scary 1, 2, 3, and 4!"

"Duh. That's the point of making continuing movies. They get scarier!" Raven pointed out as she pushed Beast boy off her cape.

"What! Wha'd I miss?" Cyborg shouted as he exited sleep mode.

There was an awkward silence. All eyes were on Starfire holding on to Robin. She let go quickly. "I am sorry," Star whispered but only loud enough for Robin hear.

Eleven seconds later . . .

Everybody looked at each other's fear stricken eyes. Robin didn't have any. His mask was completely expressionless. He just sat there with nobody but him knowing what he felt.

Beast boy smirked. "Mr. Mask doesn't seem scared."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Where'd you get that nickname? A cereal box?" he joked.

"Actually yes."

The other titans gave him strange looks. The only sound to be heard was a cricket outside.

Beast boy rubbed the back of his neck. "What?"

"Never mind, genius." Raven muttered sarcastically, turning away.

Beast boy hastily stood up. "Did that _SCARE_ you!"

"Nope."

"Whatever."

"Wha'd I miss?"

"Not as much as a Glongorg would have."

_10:26 p.m. _was what the clock read. "I think I need to finish the paperwork," Robin's voice trailed off. He quickly disappeared into the shadows.

"What's wrong with Robin?" Raven asked. "He seemed okay a minute ago,"

"He has the task to do the work of paper." Starfire explained.

"I think he was just **_scared _**!" Beast boy laughed.

Out of annoyance, Raven threw her book at him.

"OW! What was that for!"

Cyborg laughed and Raven slightly grinned. Usually Starfire would have giggled, but she felt that something was wrong with Robin and that she needed to help him.

"I will be back momentarily," Starfire said. The others were to busy laughing so Starfire just crept into the shadows unnoticed.

Robin's room . . .

He sat in his dark room sorting through paper by paper but had no luck finding anything of interest. And the whole time he felt unable to concentrate. He had very much enjoyed being with his friends, but now that he wasn't, he felt very alone.

"Robin, do you require any assistance?"

The voice again. Instinctively, he practically flew off the bed to open the door.

"What did you say?" he questioned.

"I said: do you require any assistance?" Starfire repeated.

Robin let her in. "Um, yeah I could use some actually. I'm up to my neck in this paper."

Starfire looked confused. She looked at the stack of paper and then Robin's neck. "But, Robin, these documents only appear to be just below your knees."

He smiled. "It's just a expression, Star. But just below my knees is bad enough."

Starfire nodded in agreement.

"Do you want to sit?"

"Yes, I would appreciate a seat! Where may I sit?"

Robin looked around. There were no chairs in his room and there wasn't a couch or anything besides his bed. "Um...you might have to sit on my bed." he answered.

"That is fine." Stafire assured him as she placed herself gently on his small bed. "How do I sort through the works of paper?"

"Just look for something about Slade. And whatever isn't you should probably throw out, but ask me before you do, okay?"

"I shall do my best!"

Some time later . . .

"Thanks again for helping me with the work, Star. I really appreciate it," Robin thanked as he escorted her to the door.

"I welcome you! It was quite pleasurable being able to assist a friend!" she chimed. "Well, the night of good to you, Robin! Have the sweet dreams!"

"Yeah, you too..."

Robin dreamily watched as Starfire approached her room. When her door gave a sight slam he snapped back to reality. He walked toward his bed and collapsed face down on it.

"Those eyes..." he mumbled just before he fell fast asleep. All night he dreamed of her sorting all those many papers with a mix of happiness, confusion, and curiosity on her face. He dreamed of her looking up at him occasionally and asking him if certain documents were worth disposing of. He dreamed of her endless green eyes.

The next morning . . .

_"COCK-A-DOOD-O-DOO!"_

"Quiet, Beast boy! Not in the mood." Robin screamed in his sleep.

_"COCK-A-"_

"I'M WARNING YOU!"

_"DOODLE-"_

"BEAST BOY!"

_"DOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

Robin threw a pillow at the wall thinking Beast boy was there. "It's only six in the morning... I think,"

"Robin? Why are you throwing pillows at the wall?"

"Huh,"

"Robin, do you not like walls?"

"What?" Robin ran his fingers through his rather messy hair. "Wall...Beast boy, ugghh."

"Robin?"

A warm and gentle hand was laid on his shoulder. "Are you okay? Why are you not wearing-"

With the touch, the boy slumber opened his eyes..._maskless _eyes. He rubbed his eyes. Then started feeling his face.

"MY MASK!" he screamed as he shot out of bed like a cannon ball and scurried through his closet. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU, BEAST BOY!"

Starfire watched Robin run out of the room with a different mask in his hands.

_'What lovely eyes,' _she thought.

Raven looked up from her book with her usual expressionless face. Then, when she looked at Beast boy's hand, her eyes widened.

"Did you take that out of Robin's closet...I hope?" she said.

The green boy shook his head. "Nope. Peeled it off his face while he was dreaming about Starfire." he admitted proudly.

Raven raised an eyebrow.

"He kept repeating 'Star's eyes' and 'love' over and over again."

Raven shook her head. "He's gonna kill you."

"I have my victory." he shouted as he held up a video camera. "I don't care!"

"You should!" Cyborg laughed. "Here comes Robin."

"BEAST BOY!"

Beast boy's face turned as white as a ghost. "Now I do." he whispered as he morphed into a mouse and crawled under the couch.

Robin ran into the room. His face was bright red and looked like he was going to explode at any minute. "Where's the grass stain!"

"Ohhh, I don't know," Raven began very sarcastically. "Certainly _not_ under the couch."

"Of course not." Cyborg added.

"GET OUT!"

Beast boy tried to sneak into another hiding place, but Robin stopped him.

"Give it to me, now." he ordered in a semi-calm and yet still very angry voice.

"No! This mask is mine! Finder's keepers, loser's weepers! NAH!" Beast boy stuck out his tongue.

Robin grabbed the scruff of his shirt. "NOW!"

"Take off your mask." Beast boy suggested evilly. "Or you'll never get this old one!"

"Yeah, bird boy. Take off the mask!" Cyborg agreed. "Unless you have something to hide..."

"I do not! And what does my mask have to do with this!" Robin protested.

"You know. We **_all_** know..." Beast boy said in a low and dramatic tone.

"You wear it to hide your true feelings don't 'cha?" Cyborg pressed.

Robin tugged at his collar. "Uh, what feelings?"

"Toward Star. But now that she knows, you have nothing to hide, so...WHY DON'T YOU JUST TAKE THAT MASK OFF!" the boys shouted.

"What! How does she know!" he blurted out.

"I told her what you said in your sleep."

"YOU WHAT!"

Beast boy cleared his throat and imitated Robin's voice in a bad accent. "Star lov'..."

"I NEVER SAID THAT!"

Beast boy smirked and played a video on a small screen on his video camera. "Yeah, you did."

The video replayed over and over again with Beast boy cackling in the background.

Robin lessened his grip on Beast boy. "Um,"

"Yup. Now that you admitted why you wear that stupid mask...a.k.a to hide your 'feelings'...take it off! Why won't you?" Beast boy persisted more impatiently.

"I have my reasons." Robin mumbled. "And why do you want to know so badly?"

"I kinda bet tin man here twenty-five bucks that your eyes are red." Beast boy admitted.

"And I bet that your eyes are brown." Cyborg added.

"And I say that they're not. Maybe you don't even have eyes; maybe your eyelids are shut closed forever!" Beast boy joked.

"Of course I have eyes! But apparently _you_ lack a brain!" Robin barked. "And my eyes are not brown or certainly not red! What kind of creature do you think I am!"

Beast boy and Cyborg smirked even more. "Then what color are they?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Oh, you don't have to tell us," Beast boy began as he held up the video camera again.

"But you can tell your girlfriend." Cyborg finished.

"What?" Robin turned around only to see Starfire standing right behind him.

"Yes, Robin. May I see?" she asked sweetly.

"Uh..."

"Pretty please?"

"I don't really want-"

"With three flavors of the cream of ice?"

"No."

"With a cherry on top?"

"Star, no."

"And sprinkles?"

"Starfire-"

"And the mint frosting?"

"No."

"And the cream of whipped?"

"N-"

"And nuts?"

Beast boy gave them a strange look. "How did we get on the dessert menu?"

Cyborg patted his stomach. "I dunno but it's making me hungry!"

"And bananas?"

"No."

"The berries of rasp?"

"No."

Starfire looked down at her feet and put her hand on her elbow. It was her rejected look . . . and it always worked on Robin. Her lip was quivering and she looked like she was about to burst into tears.

"Blue." Robin sighed in defeat.

"What? Could you say that a little louder?" Beast boy asked as he held in laughter.

"Shut the camera off and **_maybe_** I will."

"Fine," Beast boy groaned.

"Cyborg,"

"Whatever."

The two shut their cameras off and watched and listened intently as Robin's mouth opened to speak.

Robin's temple throbbed. He knew if his confession was true, that he'd have to tell her even if she already knew. "Blue! Okay? My eyes are blue!" he snarled. "Happy!"

"Actually, yeah. Pretty much. But can you prove it?" Cyborg insisted.

Robin rolled his eyes behind the mask. "This is ridiculous. I'm leaving,"

Starfire stopped him. "You will do no such thing."

Robin felt a pain in his chest. He felt as if his heart was falling apart piece by piece. His eyes were full of memories that haunted him forever and they played like a slide show in the back of his mind. But he kept hearing a persisting little voice in his head that kept saying: _'Just show them already! Get it over with. They are your best friends. You'd have to show them eventually...' _Robin argued with himself for a few minutes. He couldn't decide what he should he should do; keep the real Richard Grayson to himself, or show his friends why he always was so serious and kept so many things a secret. When they'd see his eyes he wouldn't have to explain himself. His eyes would say it all. Raven would sense it. Cyborg would realize. Beast boy would-...well Beast boy probably wouldn't be able to figure it out, but Starfire would be the first to know. She could read Robin like a book.

"I guess you'd have to know at some point..." Robin sighed as he slowly peeled the mask away from his face. The mask drifted down to the floor. He left his eyes closed for the first few seconds, but opened them revealing two pools of blue. Everyone stared in amazement. They had all been best friends for years and years, but had _never_ even caught a glimpse of the boy's eyes.

"Robin? Dude, is that Robin? I always knew he would have a major raccoon tan!"

"Shut up, Beast boy. Robin, are you okay? Something doesn't feel right..."

"Woah,"

"Robin, what is wrong? You seem rather sad."

The responses ran around in his head. "No, I'm not alright."

---------------------------------------------------

Thanks for reading! This is going to be a short two chapter fic. Please send reviews (no flames): )

-PWG


	2. First Comes Love

Chapter two: First comes love

The boy wonder and everyone else stood absolutely speechless. There shone two eyes that no one had seen in over a decade, and should never had been revealed. At least, not now. The tension was traveling through Robin's body. It made him weaker by every single second that passed onward. The stress caused him to collapse on to the floor with a groan.

"Robin!" Starfire screamed. She quickly kneeled beside his tired body. "Robin, please..."

Raven flew over next to Starfire and placed a hand gently on Robin's shoulder. A black glow formed then faded.

"He should be fine now... physically anyway." she said assuringly. She then glared at Beast boy and Cyborg. "You did this. You just had to see his eyes. It wasn't your business!"

Beast boy didn't move. He just stood with an enormous frown planted on his face. Cyborg was the same.

"I didn't mean to do this!" he snapped.

"Ditto." Cyborg agreed nervously.

"Well, you might not have meant to, but he's like this now because of _**your**_idiotic selflessness!" Raven argued.

"Well-"

"Please, stop the fighting! Robin is awakening." Starfire said gently.

Robin lifted his head slowly. His mind had seemed to have emptied itself slightly.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine." he mumbled. "I just need some space,"

Starfire lifted him by the arm off the floor and placed him on the couch.

"Robin are you-"

"What did I just say!" he growled. "Leave me alone!"

With that he steadied himself off the couch and marched as fast as he could to his room.

"Your welcome." Raven muttered dryly.

"Why is friend Robin acting so?" Starfire asked. "It is simply a mask."

Nobody responded.

"Why?"

Still quiet.

"I am going after him! And if you cared you would do the same!" she shouted as she stormed off.

Robin's room . . .

"Robin, I wish to speak to you."

"Leave me alone."

"Please let me in."

"I said-"

"Robin, I do not wish to see you hurt so!"

"Everyone else does."

"They do not! They feel very sorry, I am sure."

"I don't think so."

"Robin, please let me enter."

"Why should I?"

"Because I-I care for you very d-deeply."

Those words hit him like a baseball. "You do?"

"More than you shall ever know."

There was a tense silence.

"May I **_now_** enter?"

"I guess,"

He slowly approached the door. When it opened, Starfire looked at him. He was now masked, his hair was a mess, he was partially in his pajamas and partially in his usual crime fighting suit, and had a comb stuck in his tangled hair. Starfire giggled very softly at his appearance.

"Robin, you look...charming." she said in an effort to make him feel better.

"Thanks. Come in." he mumbled.

Starfire entered. Robin shut the door behind her and flopped face down onto his bed. "You were saying?" he inquired hopefully into his pillow.

"I noticed that your eyes are quite troubled looking. Beast boy told me that you have hidden your eyes because you did not wish for me to know how you supposedly feel. But I believe that there is more than that."

"Yup."

"Well, what is there?"

"Memories."

"What kinds?"

"Bad ones."

"Like what?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Robin, you must tell someone."

"I don't think so."

"You should."

"Maybe,"

Starfire moved closer to him. "If you do not feel comfortable with telling me, you do not have to. I do not wish to as Earthlings say: 'pry'."

"You're not."

"Am not?"

"Prying."

"Robin, do you wish for me to leave?"

"NO!" he blurted. "But what do you mean by you _care deeply_!"

"I care very much."

_'How much'_ he thought.

"Now why did you treat us so?" Starfire interrupted his thoughts. "And why did you attempt to harm friend Beast boy? And why-"

"Star, my eyes hold a lot of, well, memories. Like I said, some good and some bad. But I've had mostly good ones since I met you."

Starfire blushed.

"And the others of course!" he covered up. "Anyway, I've been through some pretty intense things in my life and I never thought I'd talk about them, but I know I can trust you. You're my best friend and I'm sure I can tell you. But you'll never tell anyone right?"

Starfire nodded quickly.

"Do you really promise?"

"On Tameran."

"Alright well, here it goes. Um...when I was little, my parents . . ."

Later . . .

"And that's when Batman, or Bruce - whatever you wanna call him -told me I should go. Then I met up with Cyborg, then he introduced me to Beast boy, then we bumped into Raven, and then I found you. And here I am. That's my life. Now do you see why I've hidden these eyes?" Robin finished.

Starfire was shocked to hear his story. She felt like crying, but fiercely fought back the tears. Her heart was pounding at top speed and it hurt. Her smile was gone. Her eyes were as sad as Robin's at the moment. But she didn't feel like hiding them. Although, she did now understand very well why Robin did.

"Robin, I-"

Robin put a finger to her lips. "Don't." he said as he walked to the darkest corner of the room and he turned to face the wall. "But now you know why, right? I mean why I hid my eyes and everything."

Starfire followed him. "Robin, I feel that your feelings may be changed. You may still have your past, but that does not change your future." she assured him.

"Star, I don't think you really understand. But it's hard to. You've had a great life here. You just wouldn't understand." Robin whispered.

"Robin! I do understand!" she protested. "When I was very small I was given into slavery to save Tameran! The Psions experimented on me! Then I barely escaped and fell to Earth. I have been through almost as much tragedy as you have! It was terrifying to be handed away like that! Do you now think I understand!"

Robin felt the same as Starfire had for him...well, even worse than she did. She had been through as much or more than him, but she was always so positive and never put a negative spin on things. So why couldn't he...?

"Star, why didn't you ever tell us?"

"I did not feel that is was necessary."

"I think it is."

"I do not wish to-"

He cut her words off gently. "But I'll never let anyone hurt you. Remember that."

Starfire could feel tears welling up in her eyes. "I w-will."

"Good." Robin responded.

Suddenly he felt something force him to turn around. Quickly he faced Starfire's gentle and somber face. His masked eyes stared into her's for a long time. Then he pressed his lips against hers...feeling that now they really did have too much in common to ignore. A squeak of surprise escaped her mouth, but then she soon closed her eyes and kissed him back. Robin pulled away quickly when he realized what he was doing.

"I must be out of my mind!" he yelled.

"Robin?" Starfire squeaked happily. "I did not think you-"

"Starfire, I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me! I'm so sor-"

Starfire gave him an assuring hug. "Do not worry!" she giggled. "I am quite pleased."

Robin smiled back at her nervously. "You mean you uh, like me **_that_** way?"

"Of course! The others seemed to notice. I wonder why we did not realize our emotions for one another?"

"I guess we thought it would be too good to be true. But I've kinda had that crush on you for a really long time."

"You have wished to crush me for a long period of time?"

Robin waved his hands in defense. "NO! It just means I've liked you for a long time! Crush is just a figure of speech."

"Oh. That is glorious to know!"

"Um, don't tell," Robin mumbled.

"Excuse me?"

"Just never speak of anything that I told you about my past. Okay?" he said.

"Yes, I promise! But may I tell about our- er...emotions?"

"They know anyway. I don't really care anymore."

"GLORIOUS!" she exclaimed. "But I wish to see your eyes again. Only, if it is okay with you."

"Knock yourself out."

"You wish for me to harm myself in an effort to become unconscious?" she blinked with innocent shock.

"Just another expression, Star." he chuckled.

"What does it truly mean?"

"_Go ahead_," he breathed softly.

Starfire beamed. She slowly tugged the mask off his face.

"OW! WATCH I-YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!"

"I am sorry...hold still, Robin!"

"OUCH! LET ME DO IT!"

She slapped his hand away. "I wish to proceed! Hold still!"

She counted the seconds until she could really examine his eyes. Now, there it was. The mask laid in her hand and in its place laid Robin's sparkling blue eyes. This time they didn't seem nearly as sad. They looked almost as happy as Starfire's did.

"They are lovely, Robin..."

She felt around with her finger where his mask used to lay. His eyes seemed as deep as an ocean. She would have drowned in them if he hadn't blinked.

"Thanks, Star. So are your eyes."

"Thank you, Richie!" she teased playfully (he told her his real name and she decided to call him Richie or whatever). "But why do you still wear a mask?"

"I have my reasons."

"You have told me them."

"Not all of them."

"Please, what are the rest?"

"One is just so villains can't tell what moves I'm going to make. They could probably see it in my eyes. I don't want take any chances."

"I understand. But will I ever see your eyes again?"

"On special occasions."

"ROBIN AND STARFIRE SITTING IN A TREE! K-I-smooch-smooch -I-N-G! FIRST COMES LOVE THEN-"

Robin pressed the mask on his face quickly. "Were not thinking that far." he hissed. "But possibly boyfriend and girlfriend."

Starfire clapped her hands excitedly. "REALLY!"

"Why not." Robin answered to Starfire. "But will you just shut up!" he yelled at Beast boy and Cyborg.

Cyborg continued singing horribly and Beast boy pretended to kiss at the air.

"THEN COMES um... oh yeah! BEAST BOY IN THE BABY CARRIAGE!" Cyborg sang.

Beast boy stopped. "I'm not going into any baby carriage! You are! I'm no baby!" he barked.

"Oh yeah? Well what's that on your head?" Cyborg asked.

There was a baby bonnet placed on top of Beast boy's head. "You _just_ put that there!"

"No, that would be me." Raven corrected. She floated into the room with a smirk on her face. "How's the happy couple?"

"We are glorious, friend Raven! It is quite delightful to see everyone so happy and musical!" Starfire cheered.

The dark girl rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"I believe this is a perfect time to proceed with a group hug!"

Starfire gathered Robin, Raven, Beast boy, and some how managed to squeeze Cyborg into her arms as she said this.

"OW! What just hit my eye!" Beast boy screamed.

"I guess I got my comb out!" Robin laughed.

Everyone laughed with him...except BB.

On every occasion which Robin considered to be _special_ -like Christmas or Starfire's birthday - he would remove his mask for about an hour like he promised. Every long once in a while he and Starfire would go out on a short date. But every day they had a happy ending to their day.

_**The End **_

_**------------------------------**_

Thank you all SO very much for reading and reviewing my little story. It means so much to me. All of your reviews on the last chapter made my day! I will be writing more stories soon.

-PWG


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